Justice Hoens says goodbye
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October 8, 2013
New Jersey: Justice Helen Hoens gave her farewell address to the New Jersey Supreme Court, where she has served since 2006. Hoens will retire at the end of her term on October 26, due to Gov. Chris Christie's decision not to renominate her to life tenure.
In her speech, Hoens pointed to the impact that her autistic son had on her judicial career and how he helped her develop patience and compassion. Regarding her son, she stated, "Somebody like that taught me everything I need to know to be a justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court. Think on that. Remember that. My work here is done."[1]
Hoens, who began her career as a private practice attorney, started her judicial career on the Superior Court in 1994. She was appointed to the Supreme Court by Gov. Corzine in 2006.
In the past, justices served an initial seven-year term and were renominated by the governor to serve until the mandatory retirement age of 70. Gov. Christie was the first to break with this tradition when he denied John Wallace renomination in 2010. When he made a similar announcement in August not to renominate Justice Hoens, the Governor said that the Democrat-controlled state Senate would be too harsh on the Republican justice in the confirmation process and that he "simply could not be party to the destruction of Helen Hoens’s professional reputation."[2] Christie has had trouble getting his judicial nominees confirmed by the Senate since 2010. Ralph Lamparello, president of the New Jersey Bar Association, was upset by the Governor's recent decision, stating, "[Hoens] does not deserve to be treated as a political pawn in the battle between the governor and the Legislature over our courts."[2]
See also
Footnotes
Federal courts:
Third Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of New Jersey • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of New Jersey
State courts:
New Jersey Supreme Court • New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division • New Jersey Superior Courts • New Jersey Municipal Courts • New Jersey Tax Court
State resources:
Courts in New Jersey • New Jersey judicial elections • Judicial selection in New Jersey
